The Jim saga
by Space Cowboy2
Summary: A young boy, unaffected by Anthony Bault's crossing into Arcadia has gotten the biggest shock in the world. Can he survie Arcadia? Can Arcadia survie him?
1. A new begining

Chapter 1:A new beggining  
  
There is a small town in the Catskills completely unaffected by the crossing of the  
Arcadian portals, and a kid there who is almost as unaffected.  
  
Jim Silver, truly an obnoxious punk, and the protagonist of this story. Though, at first  
glance, it wouldn't seem so. His moody brown eyes, brown hair in a pony-tail, and prefferred   
travel being the skateboard. Jim himself proabably didn't even know what was in store for him.  
  
All he knew right now was that he was coming home from school, and he had another two   
days before he had to worry about that horrid place. Jumping with his skate board, and grinding  
onto the railing of the school stairs, and jumping off, he veered right for home.   
  
Jim knew something was wrong as he saw his mom's car at his house. His mom was never   
home at this time. He had a strange sense of foreboding. "Stop overreacting." Jim told himself.  
"She probably came home early to clean or something."  
  
As he walked in he saw his parents and a man who looked incredibly like an accountant.   
  
"Uh...mom...dad?" he asked. "It's a little early for Tax day, isn't it?"  
  
The man sitting across from his parents scowled and cleared his throat. "So, you're  
Jim Silver. Pleasure to meet you."  
  
Jim suddenly knew who the 'accountant' was. "Anthony Bault, I'd like to say it's a   
pleasure to meet you." He waited for Anthony to say 'So why didn't you say it?' but he didn't  
fall for such a trick.  
  
"We were talking with Mr. Bault." Jim's mom said. "he says you have...powers."  
  
"Like the descendancy powers?" Jim asked, cocking his head.   
  
"Maybe, I don't think so, though." Anthony replied. "I'm looking for new types of psionic  
users right now, and I sensed you."  
  
"How...nice." Jim said, dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Mr. Bault was talking about teaching you to use these powers." Jim's mom said.   
  
*And become a government guinea pig?* Jim thought. *I don't think so!*   
  
"Considering how you're doing in school and that this would be great oppurtunity for  
you..." Jim's father said. "For the next two years, Mr. Bault will be your legal guardian."   
  
Jim's mouth fell open. His world was falling apart right then. He intended to come home,  
do his homework, take out the garbage, and play a little phantasy star online. He never, in a  
quintillion years thought this would happen.  
  
"My grades are just fine!" he blurted out. Jim's mother pulled out a refferal. "Oh..."  
he said. "Those..."  
  
"yes, those." Jim's father said. "You've had three fights this-"  
  
"I didn't start those fights!" Jim replied defensively.  
  
"Well, you sure as hell finished them." His father replied.  
  
Anthony looked at him. "Just give me one month, okay?" Anthony asked. "If the training   
doesn't go right, you can come back home."   
  
Since he didn't have much of a choice, Jim resigned. "Fine." he said.  
**********  
  
A week later, all of Bit's possesions were in hoi-poi capsules lent to him by Anthony.  
He had to admit, it was a lot more convienent than a moving van.   
  
"So, how do we get to Arcadia?" Jim asked. "I don't see any cars or anything."   
  
"We're flying to Washington." Anthony said. "Then we'll take a plane to Area 51."  
  
"Uhh... how am I supposed to fly?" Jim asked.   
  
Anthony tossed what looked like a wheel-less skateboard in his hand. Jim noticed that  
the back had rockets, as did the bottom. It also had boot-shaped fasteners, obviously, so you  
wouldn't fall off.   
  
"It's a skim-board." Anthony explained. "We can't open your powers until we get to Area  
51, so you'll rely on that. I heard from your mother that you like Skateboards, so I had Washu  
make this for you."  
  
Jim examined the skim-board. It didn't have any visible fuel tankard. "You sure this   
thing has gas?"  
  
"It runs on the heat supplied by the rockets." Anthonty explained. "That way, it'll  
always be able to run."  
  
"Cool." Jim said. He fastened himself to the board. "How do you turn it on?"  
  
"Just say. 'Skim-board on.'" Anthony replied. "It's coded for only your voice-box."  
  
"Okay." Jim replied. "Skim-board! On!" he said, as though he were transforming into a  
power-ranger. The rockets started and Jim sailed upwards. At that moment, Jim forgot   
skateboarding. He forgot surfing, and snowboarding. This was the new thrill, better than   
anything.   
  
Jim let out a whoop of excitement, and di a swoop before going back up.  
  
"So, I assume you like it." Anthony said, hovering in the air beside him.   
  
"It's cool." Jim said nonchalantly.   
  
"Glad you approve." Anthony said. "You'll be riding it for an hour."   
  
As they flew, questions buzzed through Jim's head. "Did they actually find aliens at  
Area 51?"  
  
"Yeah." Anthony said.   
  
"Green-eyed rubber skinned things from Mars or what?" Jim asked.   
  
"I don't know." Anthony admitted. "I never really had the time to see them."  
  
"What with saving Arcadia every other week?" Jim asked.  
  
"Yeah." Anthony said with a smile. "Exactly."  
  
Anthony and Jim spent the rest of the trip small-talking. Video games, Animes, and   
Sci-fis being the most prominant. Anthony learned that he couldn't have picked up a more rabid  
Star Wars forcie, and Jim learned he couldn't have been picked up by a more obssesive D&D fan.  
  
An hour later, the landed in a small place by the mall. "We won't have to meet the prez  
or anything, will we?"   
  
"No." Anthony said. "The jet is already ready."  
  
Jim found out that the jet was entirely unspectacular. Obviously to avoid bringing   
attention. Jim did notice that several teenage girls swooned as Anthony passed. Anthony  
blushed.  
  
"Teeny-boppers." Jim said, rolling his eyes. The only thing that made him so popular was  
evidently his position. He wasn't exactly Brad Pit.   
  
"Sir Bault, your jet." a man in a black suit said.   
  
"Thanks." Anthony said.   
  
Jim stepped in, noticing that the jet was much nicer on the inside. The trip to   
Area 51 was uneventful, though Jim did see The Two Towers for the first time.   
  
Area 51 was a barren place. The gates had one of the government signs that told you if   
you were caught hanging around, you'd be shot. Jim always wondered what gave the government the  
right to do that.   
  
"Welcome back, Sir Bault." the guard at the front said. "Your newest project?"  
  
"Somewhat." Anthony said. "Where's Ms. Katsuya?"  
  
"She's in the computer lounge." The guard said.  
  
"Ms. Katsuya?" Jim asked curiously.  
  
"Azalea Katsuya is her full name." Anthony explained. "She'll be training alongside with  
you. I think she's about your age."  
  
Jim shrugged. As they walked into the computer lounge, there was a girl at one of the  
computers with long black hair, and deep green eyes. Her figure wasn't overtly busty or curvy,  
but it worked just fine for her. This, apparently, was Azalea.  
  
"This is the other one?" Azalea asked, looking Jim up and down.  
  
"Yep." Anhtony said.  
  
"You're kidding." Azalea replied. "Please tell me it's a joke."  
  
As much as Anthony looked like an accountant, Jim had to admit he looked the role of hero  
much better. Jim was gangly and tall, with wild hair, and nothing was truly striking or out of  
the ordinary about Jim's build or appearance.  
  
Azalea put her hand on Jim's shoulder, and Jim froze. Talking with attractive members of  
the opposite sex was not his strong suit. "What's your name?"  
  
"Uh...Jim." Jim said quickly.  
  
"Well, James-"  
  
"Jim." Jim said, instictively forgetting his fear to correct her. "Not James:Jim."  
  
"Assertive. He's pretty cute." Azalea said. "Can I keep him, Anthony?"  
  
Upon that, Anthony cracked a smile. "I don't know." he said, forcing down a laugh. "He's  
a big responsibility. And where would we keep him?"  
  
Jim blushed and quickly took Azalea's arm off his shoulder. "Let's just go." He said  
quickly.  
  
"By the way, my name's Azalea." Azalea said. She put out her hand to Jim. Jim catiously  
shook her hand. "I don't have cooties you know."  
  
"I know." Jim said, turning quickly.  
  
"Shy?" Anthony asked, trying very hard not to laugh.  
  
"Shut up." Jim replied sourly.  
  
They walked out to the portal. "TO Mobius, right?"   
  
"Exactly." Anthony said.  
  
"Which is?" Azalea asked. Jim and Anthony stared at her. "Sorry. I'm not big on video  
games."  
  
"You'll learn quickly enough." Anthony said. They all went through the portal to see   
Sonic the hedgehog standing, impatiently tapping his foot.   
  
"Let me guess." Anthony said. "You've been waiting."  
  
"Lucky guess." Sonic said.  
  
Jim couldn't believe it. It was Sonic the hedgehog. The Sonic. The person he had   
obsessed over for three years. The guy who had gotten all the chaos emeralds for in all four   
genesis games. The Sonic who...  
  
Well, you get the idea.   
  
"These the two kids?" Sonic asked.   
  
"Hey-" Jim protested. "I'm no kid."  
  
"Who are you then?" Sonic asked.  
  
"Jim." Jim said. "Jim Silver."  
  
"Azalea Katsuya." Azalea said.   
  
"You probably get this a lot," Jim said wryly. "But you look taller on TV."  
  
"Ha ha." Sonic replied. "C'mon Mop-top, if you can keep up, we're going to the Gardenian  
portal."  
  
"Mario Brothers." Jim said. "Funky." In truth Jim was getting anxious and bored, The two  
towers be damned.  
*************  
  
"Why do they always look at us like that?" Bass asked. They were walking through the   
streets of Mobius. "Didn't we already prove we're the good guys?"  
  
"Trust is something incredibly easy to lose, and just as hard to regain." Protoman  
commented.  
  
"WE never broke their trust." Bass retorted. "It was Robotnik. I don't see why the king   
of this place doesn't have the decency to lock him up."  
  
"Trust is also one of the precious gifts when those least-deserving get it." Protoman  
said again.  
  
"I read that once in a fortune cookie." Bass said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"You can't really blame them, though." Roll interjected. "We symbolize everything they've  
grown to hate."  
  
"But we're not swat bots. We're reploids." Megaman said. "I'm with Bass on this one. We  
proved that we're on their side, why shouldn't they trust us? They trusted Anthony, and from what  
I read, humans did WORSE to the mobians than robots did."  
  
"I suppose they view us as inorganic." Protoman said. "cold, calculating machines, with  
no soul or moral thought."  
  
"But we're not inorganic." Bass replied.  
  
"They don't know that." Protoman replied.  
  
"Then they should go to Neo-New York, and take out a few tech books." Megaman put in.  
Then he sighed. "Will the mobians ever truly trust us?"  
  
"One day." Roll said.   
  
"Which day?" Bass asked.  
  
"One day." Roll repeated. "Not today, probably not tomorrow. Maybe in a year or two."  
  
"That's a lot more patient than I want to be." Megaman commented.   
  
"Not all battle are won with a buster, Mega." Roll replied.   
**********  
  
"This is the spell I used on Anthony, here." King Arbolet said. "It should be able to   
open up your potential, even if they aren't the descendancy powers."  
  
"Is this going to hurt?" Jim asked, looking around.  
  
"It shouldn't." King Nimbus said.   
  
"Scared?" Azalea asked, looking at Jim wryly.  
  
"No." Jim lied. "It's just thatwhen someone points a bunch of magic at you, you get   
antsy."  
  
"Have you removed all your jewlery?" King Arbolet asked.  
  
"I don't wear jewlery." Jim replied.  
  
"Very well, then." Arbolet said. "Let's begin."  
  
Jim closed his eyes expecting a bright light. Since his eyes were closed, he couldn't   
tell if there was one or not.  
  
"It's finished." King Arbolet said, a few seconds later.   
  
"It's finshed?"  
  
"It's finished."  
  
"But I don't feel any different." Jim said. Right then, Jim instinctively ducked, and a  
psionic blast hit the wall. Jim didn't hear anything, he just knew it was there.  
  
"Still skeptical?" Anthony asked.  
  
Jim made for the door. "That was probably just...a fluke." Jim had pushed the door off  
the hinges. "Okay, okay. It worked!" Jim said. "Happy?"  
  
"You don't seem to be." Anthony replied.   
  
'Yeah, well saving the world isn't my thing." Jim said.   
  
"Angry?" Anthony asked.  
  
"What's to be angry about?" Jim asked. "I've only become a government weapon."  
  
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Anthony asked.   
  
"You and the hero's council, fighting criminals and stuff." Jim said.  
  
"First of all, The Hero's council operates apart from the government, so it can't be  
used for war or anything." Anthony explained. "Second, if you don't like this, you can go back,  
I'm giving you a choice to open up some new doors."   
  
"Got no choice anyhow." Jim said. "But at least it's no school."  
  
"Actually..." Anthony said.  
  
"Oh no." Jim said, burying his hands into his face. "My told you to make sure I went to  
school, didn't she?"  
  
"Yeah, you're in a small school in knothole." Anthony explained. "It should be just like  
home."  
  
"That's what I'm worried about." Jim said.   
  
"If we're done drowning in self-pity..." Azalea said. She apparently, was done with her  
abilities being opened.  
  
"Yeah." Anthony said. "Let's go bacl to Mobius. My house'll be a little cramped with us   
three, but I imagine we'll manage."  
  
End Chapter 1 


	2. Feeling Groovy

Chapter 2:Feelin' groovy.  
  
"It's not much." Anthony said, walking into the house in Mobotropolis given to him.   
"But it's home."  
  
"It's cool." Jim said. "When are we gonna meet Link and Megaman?" Jim had already met  
Sonic and Mario, but he was most eager to meet the stars of his favorite games:The blue bomber  
and the hero of Hyrule themselves.   
  
"Fan-boy." Azalea commented.  
  
"I prefer the term gamer or Otaku." Jim replied  
  
"Soon enough." Anthony replied. "Just unpack and go to bed if you want. Here's your  
room."  
  
Jim had traveled lightly. Bringing only his clothes, his books, and every single video  
game he ever had. And feeling completely wired, he quickly unpacked and did something he had  
never got to finish due to Anthony's visit; Play Phantasy Star Online.   
  
"What's wrong with my game?" a voice asked behind him.   
  
"GAAAH!" Jim yelled. He fell over clutching his chest. He looked to see a blue,   
anthromorphic hedgehog looking at him. "Christ Sonic, don't do that!"   
  
"Well, I drop in occasionally."Sonic said, prompting a groan from Jim.  
  
"That was bad Sonic, even for you." Rouge said, entering Jim's new room.  
  
"Hi, Rouge." Sonic said.   
  
"Not that I'm not pleased," Jim said. "But why are is the cast of Sonic adventure 2   
congregating in my room?"  
  
Rouge sighed. "It's Shadow. He's been having these dreams....about Maria." Rouge looked  
dissapointed then.  
  
"Ah." Jim said. Then, noticing Rouge's sad look, asked "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's just that I love Shadow." Rouge said. "And I think he loves me."  
  
"Well, what's the problem?" Sonic asked.   
  
"Well, I hoped I could fill in the pain that Maria's death caused for him..." Rouge   
said slowly. "And I know I'll never replace her, but I just feel as though I'm second place. That  
I'm just a distraction from Shadow to something he deems more important." She sighed again. "It  
really hurts to be second place to a memory."  
  
Jium nodded. He knew that Shadow felt a great commitment to Maria. So much that he tried  
to destroy the earth for her. He repented when he realized Maria's true wish, but Jim knew that  
if Maria had said 'Destroy earth and all it's inhabitants' Shadow would have done that just as  
happily. Jim stood looking at the saddened Rouge, wishing he had words of comfort.  
************  
  
Shadow was pacing around the den of Anthony's house restlessly. "I can't take it Anthony!  
I tried to destroy the earth!" He bowed his head. "What would Maria think of that?"  
  
"But you saved the earth." Said Anthony.   
  
"That doesn't change what I tried to do!" Shadow yelled. "I used Robotnik to send the  
ARK onto a colision course. I tried to kill everyone."  
  
"But you didn't." Anthony said. "You were misled by the hatred Proffesor Gerald infused  
into you."  
  
"That's no excuse." Shadow replied. "I tried to kill everyone, Maria probably hates me  
now."   
  
"Shadow..." Anthony said softly. "Maria loved you. She knew that no matter what, you   
would do the right thing. To think any less is to demean her."   
  
This had struck a nerve for Shadow. "How dare you..." His eyes contained a fierce   
anger that was already apparent due to their color. "How dare you say I'm demeaning her!"  
He jumped up and grabbed Anthtony's shirt pulling him down. "She was the first person I ever  
cared about, and you have the nerve to say that!"   
  
Anthony didn't strike or respond. He merely got back up. "That was only advice, not  
medicine." Anthony said. "I'm a knight, not a healer. This is your burdon Shadow, you need to  
deal with it your own way. If it's by getting angry and denying the truth, so be it."   
  
Rogue, who had recently walked in, approached Shadow slowly. She wanted to tell Shadow  
that Anthony was right, but couldn't bring herself to do so. "Shadow, let's go. We've done what  
we came to do."  
  
"Yeah." Shadow said, going for the door. "I think we should."  
**********  
  
Mr. Chestnut was a very reasonable man. He was a teacher and he was open-minded.  
  
But an overlander in his classroom? The Freedom fighters were getting sloppier with their  
desisions every day since the arrival of Anthony.   
  
"Class, this is Jim Silver and Azalea Katsuya." Mr. Chestnut said, extending his hand  
towards Jim and Azalea. There was murmur of whispers upon everyone looking at them. "SILENCE!"  
Mr. Chestnut roared. "She is here permission of King Acorn. If he deems them worthy," Mr.  
Chestnut's mouth twitched. "Then we must trust his judgement. Take seats in the back, sir and  
ma'am."  
  
Jim felt like a man on death row as the murmurs and whispers came.  
  
"Is the king crazy, letting an overlander into the school?!"  
  
"He'll try to kill us in a week!"   
  
Jim was fuming with anger by the time he sat in his seat. If Azalea had the same   
problems, she hid them well.   
  
Throughout the entire class, Jim was silent. He simply wrote down notes as Chestnut  
droned on about Weathering and erosion. He was getting into a stupor and simply scribbling down  
what he heard by instinct.(A very useful skill he had learned in fourth grade) Until...  
  
"SILVER!" Chestnut barked. Jim shook his face and saw the gorilla-like face of Chestnut.  
"Thank you for joining us. Now, what is the difference between weathering and erosion?"  
  
"Uh...Weathering is the breaking down of the mineral, erosion is the transportation of  
it."   
  
Chestnut looked as though he'd been punched in the stomach. "Now, why would a large  
amount of stones the same mass as a boulder weather faster than the boulder?"  
  
"Because the stones have more face-value." Jim replied. Being at the back of the   
class, Jim couldn't hear what Chestnut was grumbling.   
**********  
  
Alarms went off. and a shadow slipped past a museum wall. He had just stolen krupnik  
diamond. This person was Salazar Mago. "We have what we need." Salazar said to his companion,  
Soontir Arrow.   
  
Soontir was a manbalding, but very fit. He had two small swords strapped to his hips,  
and a gun hidden up his sleeve. "Good." Soontir replied. "Now, get with the hocus pocus."  
  
"Gladly." Salazar replied. "Evaporate!" and air replaced the very place they were   
standing.   
  
Salazar and Soontir were now in a small room lit by a fire and having scrolls of   
parchment in shelves, and leather-bound books with yellow pages were on desks. "Another amazing  
find!" Soontir cried.  
  
"Yes." Salazar said, carefully placing the diamond on his desk. "I know a few collectors  
who would pay most handsomely for a gem like this."  
  
"If it weren't for those powers, Sal, we'd still be crap off the streets." Soontir said,  
taking a beer out of the fridge.  
  
"Yes." Salazar answered, a small smile showing. "Today's age is ill adept to magic. It's  
almost sickening how easy these thefts are."  
  
"Don't complain Sal." Soontir replied. "A few more robberies, and we won't even have to  
do them ourselves. We'll be living the cushy pillow life."  
  
"True." Salazar said, his smile not fading. "Yet I still wish there was someone with   
enough ability to challenge my powers."  
  
"What are you saying?" Soontir asked. "You wanna throw all our hard work off for a little  
thrill?"  
  
"No." Salazar replied. "Of course not. But still, it's a shame to not see the true   
extent of the magicks in me."  
  
"Whatever." Soontir said. "You creep me out most of the time, but you're a good thief,  
so you're allright in my book."  
  
*If only you knew.* Salazar thought. *If only you knew how my plans exceed that of profit  
or luxury. You'll find out soon enough though. The gamemaster's new little projects are in, and  
they'll make fine additions to my powers.* And Salazar retired, these evil thoughts comforting  
his dreams.   
*********  
  
Jim snarled as several squirrels stared at him apprehensively. Judging from Azalea's  
scowling, the prejudice had gotten to her too.   
  
Jim stopped as her almost ran into a mobian that was, shockingly, almost his height.  
Jim moved to the left. So did the badger-like mobian.   
  
"You're the new Overlander." the mobian said.  
  
"Human." Jim corrected immeadiately.   
  
"Whatever." He said. "I'm fangs. And I don't like losers who come in here like they own  
the place."  
  
A surge of anger raised in Jim. He hadn't bothered anyone. "And I don't like short   
people with stupid names like Fangs. There. We're even." Jim did the next thing to spite the   
impudent mobian. "Now will you stop, if you'll excuse the expression, badgering me?"   
  
Fangs' fist hit Jim's face, making it turn ninety degrees. The only difference now was  
that Jim's face was contorted in anger.  
  
"BIG MISTAKE!" Jim yelled, and he dived for Fangs.   
  
"Oh my god!" Azalea exclaimed, watching Jim and Fangs sprawled on the floor defting  
each other. Other kids were climbing on Jim, hitting, kicking, biting, and grabbing. However,  
contrary to their intent of slowing his resolve, they merely fed it.  
  
This went on for a long two minutes before Mr. Chestnut came pulled them apart.  
  
"If you're stench didn't bother me so much, Silver, I'd give you detention for the   
rest of your remainder at this facility."  
  
"Listen old man, I didn't start nothing!" Jim yelled. But he knew it was futile. It was  
an overlander's word against a mobians, but that didn't stop him. "He threw the first punch."  
  
"As a guest of the gamemaster, more mature behavior is expected of you."  
  
"That's beside the point." Jim replied, fuming.  
  
"I will not tolerate your flippant remarks!" Mr. Chestnut replied. "Get out of here!  
Now!"  
  
"Gladly." Jim replied, walking out. "On my way out."  
  
"I can't believe that the King would let ANYONE of your race roam Mobius!" Chestnut  
said angrily.  
  
"Don't talk, old man." Jim said. "Makes me wonder about the places teaching standards."  
**********  
  
"I can't believe it!" Anthony yelled. "Expellec in the first day!"  
  
"It's not my fault!" Jim yelled back. "That teacher was just a racist bastard! I didn't  
even throw the first punch!"  
  
"Fine, whatever." Anthony said, obviously still annoyed. "The fact is that you've just  
made it harder on yourself. I've just gotten off the phone Washu Habuki-"  
  
"What?!" Jim asked. "No! C'mon!"  
  
Azalea gave Jim a look that suggested she felt Jim got what he deserved.  
  
"And she'll be teaching you privately starting tomorrow."   
  
"Well, I don't what you expected but, you sure got it." Azalea said.  
  
"You're going too, Azalea." Anthony said.   
  
"What?! Why me?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Because of the anti-human sentiment that wasn't helped by Jim," Anthony said as Jim  
made no gestures of expressions that he felt remorse. "Sally has asked us to take you out too."  
  
Azalea merely growled "Thanks a lot, Silver."  
  
"Anyways, Merlin Prower thinks he knows what your powers are." Anthony informed. "He  
says you're Neo-mages."  
  
"Which are...?" Jim asked curiously.   
  
"I know about as much as you do."  
  
Merlin Prower was a friendly, aged, Anthro-fox who seemed to have the air of an absent   
-minded conjurer in him. "Wizards come in different types of classes." he informed them.   
"Spell-casters are the most common, using staffs as their magical outlets. Magicians are similar  
to those in the Harry Potter books, waving wands. Wiccas are an underrated magi, using their  
abilities only to help others. Neo-mages are perhaps the most robust." Merlin took a book off   
the shelf of the library they sat in and flipped through it without actually paying attention to  
what he was doing. "Unlike most styles of magic, which are rather black-and-white, they use  
their personalities to provide their spells. The way no two spells are the same casted by two  
neo-mages. Now, just as every person has good and dark in their hearts, every neo-mage uses both  
good and dark magic. Understand?"  
  
"I think." Jim said. "But, how come we haven't started turning people into toads? Because  
I'd really like to-" Anthony and Azalea both gave Jim an evil glare.  
  
"Let's step into the great forest." Merlin said. "I think it'll be safer there."  
  
In the great forest, Anthony stepped behind them. "Who wants to try first?" he asked.  
  
"I think I have an idea." Jim said. He closed his eyes and cupped his hand and   
concentrated on the magical energy he was informed of. "KA...."  
  
"He's not doing what I think he's doing, is he?" Merlin asked.  
  
"ME..." Blue energy surged in Jim's cuppec hands.  
  
"He is." Anthony said, not being able to keep from smiling.  
  
"What's the big deal?" Azalea asked.  
  
"HA..." Jim continued.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." Anthony said.   
  
"ME..." Jim concentrated hard. "HA!!!" he yelled. A blue beam shot out of his hands   
and knocked a tree over. "Heh. Not exactly Super sayan material, but it's pretty good for the  
first try, huh?"  
  
"May I try something now?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Certainly." Merlin said. "I was suprised at how quickly young Jim did it. All you need  
do is visualize it, and it will happen."  
  
"So, we can do it automatically with no end?" Azalea asked.  
  
"No." Merlin answered. "Every wizard has magical energy. When that is depleted, you'll  
no longer be able to cast spells."  
  
"Got it. Spells in moderation." Azalea said. She brushed her long hair behind her back  
and raised her hands. "Wingardium leviosa!" she shouted, pointing her hands towards a rock. The  
rock slowly uplifted into the air.  
  
"Wonderful." Merlin said. "You are the first Neo-mage's since Sir Eric's time."  
  
"That long, huh?" Jim asked.   
  
"Indeed." Merlin replied. "In fact, Alastor Moor of Mason island was companion and good  
friend of Sir Eric."  
  
"So, he knew the original gamemaster?" Anthony asked.   
  
"Yes." Merlin said with a soft smile. "In fact, it would not be a very risky gamble to  
say that these two are descendants in some way to him."  
  
"So, we're cousins?" Jim asked.  
  
"I doubt it." Merlin said. "The overt difference in your family names show that if you  
even are descendants, that any true relations is diminished."  
  
"Kind of like Knuckles and Dimitri." Jim said thoughtfully.  
  
"All that remains are your weapons." Merlin said.  
  
"Weapons?" Jim asked.  
  
"Each Neo-mage has a weapon forged from his will, personality, and imagination." Merlin  
explained. "You must meditate into a clear mind. These weapons are tools of amplifications of   
your power. They'll strengthen your spells, and your magical energy."  
  
"Meditate, huh?" Anthony said vaguely. "I think I know just the person."  
**********  
  
The exact person Anthony had in mind became clear in an hour. After a friendly farewell  
to Merlin, They took a trip to Ani-earth, and to of all the places, the Earth-god's tower.  
  
"Hello?" Anthony asked. "Mr. Popo? Piccolo?"  
  
"Anthony!" Mr. Popo exclaimed. "What an unsuspected pleasure."  
  
"Thanks, but I wont be long." Anthony jerked his thumb to Jim and Azalea. Azalea was  
skittering on the edge, hoping the balance wouldn't fall. Jim was walking around in wonder. He  
had always wanted to come to this place. Where the fateful Kami-sama stood watch over his planet.  
"Where's Piccolo?"  
  
"Right here." Piccolo said. Everyone turned their heads to see Piccolo standing in a   
meditative state, hovering in the air.   
  
"He could at least open his eyes for us." Azalea commented.   
  
"You'll be doing that in a few moments." Anthony replied.  
  
"Really? Why?" Piccolo asked.  
  
"They're training to be Neo-mages." Anthony explained. By the look on Piccolo's face,  
Anthony might has well said that they were going to be on Next season's 'The bachelor'.  
"Long story." Anthony said. "Listen, can you just get them to clear their minds."  
  
"I can try." Piccolo said. "Most cant correctly meditate without at least a month of  
practice."  
  
"This kind is different." Anthony replied.   
  
Piccolo nodded. "Very well." He looked at Jim and Azalea. "Sit down, cross-legged,   
please."  
  
They both did so. Azalea was freaked out. Piccolo was no normal sight. With his leathery  
green skin and white cape and turban, he was definitely creepy. Jim was excited. Piccolo, the  
Piccolo. He was guiding Jim.   
  
"Close your eyes and clear your mind of all thought." He said softly. "You are a small  
speck in the universe. You are almost nothing. Realize that, and true vision will come to you."  
  
Jim tried. Jim tried to visualize the vastness of the universe. But that's not too easy.  
Especially since Space is REALLY big. Humongously big. You wouldn't believe how vastly big space  
is. You may think that the trip to Disney World is long, but that's just peanuts to space!  
  
Jim managed it, after what seemed like two days of medidating. The trick to imagining the  
vastness of space was finding that one could NOT imagine the vastness of space. Because, as said  
before, it's really big. Jim felt a glowing warmth, and something inside him told him to open his  
eyes. He did so, and stood up. Before him, stood a staff that stood almost as tall as him. The  
edges at the end seemed sharp and it gave off a strange presence he could feel, as though it   
were the hug of an old friend.   
  
Amazed, Jim took the staff and lifted it. It was extremely light, though it looked like   
it was made of steel. He held it tight, and the edges began to glow. After several seconds of  
tension and holding the staff, staring at it, one word had came to Jim. "Whoah."  
  
"Bout time too." Azalea commented. "You were like that for two hours." She was holding  
a bow and several arrows, seeming to be made of the same material.  
  
"Yeah?" Jim asked with an annoyed tone. "And how long did you take?"  
  
"About 15 minutes." Azalea said, a smile on her face.  
  
"Fourteen minutes and thirty seven seconds to be exact." Mr. Popo said, smiling.  
  
"Yes, very quick for anyone, let alone a girl your age." Dende commented.  
  
"What are these things made of?" Jim asked. "It's like Gundarium or something."  
  
"Actually, it's Mythril." Piccolo corrected. "You both must have strong resolves. But   
you, are impatient." Piccolo pointed at Jim. "Otherwise, you'd be done faster."  
  
"Meh, what's wrong with getting things done faster?" Jim asked.  
  
"It doesn't give you proper time to think." Piccolo said. "Rushing is the essence of   
sloppy work. When we work here, we do it right."  
  
"Fine, fine." Jim said. "Hey, I just thought up a spell. Can I try it?"  
  
Piccolo and Dende looked at Mr. Popo. "As long as you aim away from the plants, I'm fine  
with it."  
  
"Alright then." Jim said, twirling his staff. "Blast of inferno!" He shouted. a fireball  
shot out of his staff.   
  
Azalea immeadeatley, took an an arrow into her bow, and shot it, yelling. "Aqua bow!"  
The arrow flew out, and now seemed to be composed of water in a arrow-shaped container, it flew  
so fast that it the fireball and doused it.   
  
"Nice." Jim said. "Cool spell." Looking around, Jim noticed something. "Say, where's  
Anthony?"  
  
"He decided to take this room to train in the room of Spirit and Time." Piccolo   
explained. "I think we should get him now."  
  
As they walked in, they saw the Gamemaster in all his splendor. He swung his sword at  
an amazing speed, yet with great elegance. Each swing was unwasted, and Jim could almost see the  
wounds on the invisible imaginary foe. Anthony finished by extending his arm and throwing a   
psionic blast. "HA!" he yelled, the purple blast of energy shooting from him.   
  
Jim, Azalea, Dende, and Mr. Popo clapped. Piccolo made no acknowledgement of Anthony's  
abilities.   
  
"Ready?" Anthony asked. "Next stop Hyrule."  
  
Before they left, Dende shouted out. "Wait, before you go, I have a favor to ask."  
  
"Yeah?" Anthony asked.   
  
"Could you talk to Mario about the Yoshis?" Dende asked. "They've eaten half the   
daffodils and Morning glories, and Mr. Popo's having a fit."  
  
Anthony couldn't help but smile. "Sure thing."  
  
"So, where are we going next?" Azalea asked.  
  
"The Hylas." Anthony said.   
  
"The Hylas?" Jim asked, a tone of excitement in his voice. "We're gonna see the Hylians!"  
**********  
  
Link was nowhere near as fantastic as she had expected him to be. The way Jim carried on  
about the heroics of this person she expected someone looking more...heroic.   
  
He wore plain clothes and had a sword and bow and arrow strapped on his back. His green  
hat did nothing to cover his pointy ears and his eyes were very sot. His hair wa not quite as  
long as Jim's, but there was little difference. Azalea had to admit;He was kind of cute.  
  
Anthony took out his sword, as did Link. "Link will be instructing you in the use of your  
weapons." They both began fencing in slow-motion.  
  
This worried Jim. He had never seen Link weild any close-range weapon other than a sword.  
  
But when Link picked up Jim's staff to try it, he saw how wrong he was. He used it with  
all the presision Anthony did with his sword.  
  
"It's a good staff." Link said, handing Jim his staff back. "And this bow!  
I've never seen arrows fly so smoothly." Azalea blushed when he handed it back.   
  
Link turned out to be a knowledgable and strict trainer. After an hour, the staff felt  
much less obstructive, and seemed to be more an exstenstion of his arms rather than a weapon.  
Jim was also surprised at how good an archer Azalea already was.  
  
"My grandfather owns a sporting goods store." She explained. "He has a soft spot in his  
heart for archery."  
  
"I'd like to meet him." Link said. "Few in the other worlds have the appreciation for a  
subtle and exact art such as Archery."  
  
"That's what he always says." Azalea said with a smile. Right then, Jim's stomach gave  
a uproarious gurgle.  
  
"I suppose we should eat now." Link said, unable to keep from smiling.   
  
Link walked with them to his house and invited them to eat there. Right then, the  
hoofbeats of a horse were heard.  
  
"There you are, Link." a woman's voice said. This woman was, without a doubt, the most  
beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her hair fell down upon her shoulders smoothly, and every  
movement seemed hypnotical.  
  
Jim had no question as to who this was. This was Princess Zelda Wayfarer.   
"The Princess!" he gasped, and fell into a kneel, seeing Link do it. After giving Jim a weird   
look, Azalea knelt too.  
  
"So cold with an old friend, Link?" Zelda asked, pretending to be offended.   
  
"I am still but a commoner, Princess." Link said. "And I am in the public of strangers."  
  
"Yes." Zelda said, understandingly. "This is the favor to the Gamemaster? Pupils?"  
  
"He's teaching us how to use our weapons." Jim said, daring to look up and show his  
staff.   
  
Zelda smiled, and Jim blushed and ducked his head again. "I see. I see that you were  
about to eat. Why don't you dine with us in Castle Hyrule."  
  
Azalea tried to be polite about it, but it was clear she was going to prefer the kingly  
feast in the castle to the medium-sized pot of porridge on Link's stove. "We wouldn't want to  
impose..."  
  
"Please." Zelda said. "The gamemaster has done much for us, and there is no imposition.  
It is an honor to dine with those taken under his wing."  
  
Azalea was right with her impression that there would be a feast in Castle Hyrule.   
  
"I hope there's enough." Zelda said.  
  
"Enough?" Jim said, gawking. "This place could feed Ethiopia for a year!"  
  
"You have this much every day?" Azalea asked, her jaw down.   
  
"Not everyday." Zelda said. "Just on fridays."   
  
"Oh." Azalea said, wondering how Zelda stayed so thin with all this food in front of her.  
  
Jim and Azalea must have eaten half their bodywight in food before Anthony came.   
  
"Enjoying yourselves?" He asked.  
  
"VMMY MNNCH." Jim said, trying to say 'Very much."  
  
"Good." Anthony said. "Because next, I'm going to introduce you to your hand-to-hand  
combat teacher."   
*********  
  
Their hand-to-hand combat teacher was clear:Son Goku. At last, someone Azalea knew.   
  
"Thanks for doing this, Goku." Anthony said.   
  
"No problem." Goku said happily. "It's been getting quiet around here lately so it's  
going to be good to have a bit of exercise."  
  
Jim and Azalea looked at each other nervously: They knew what Goku meant by 'exercise'.  
  
"Now, let's start with the basics." Goku said, rubbing his hands together. "Using Ki..."  
  
Anthony interuppted him. "No, no, Goku." Anthony said. "They have magic. They don't need  
ki."  
  
Goku's hands, which were glowing, went down. "Oh." He put up his hands. "Alright. Let's  
start with the basic forms of the kamesenin style. Then we'll move on to Kaio-sama's style."  
  
The kamesenin style seemed to be more of forging your body rather than any direct style  
of combat. And after an extremely long and tiring session, Goku told them happily that they had  
mastered the Kamesenin style basics.  
  
"Basics, he calls it?" Jim asked, out of breath. "I really wish I knew the sayan   
language."  
  
"Tired?" Anthony asked, sipping a soda. Jim and Azalea both looked at him evily. "I  
figured as much. I was just going to tell you that you're done for the day."  
  
"So, what's stopping you?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Well... I don't have to meet Jenna, Lars, Alec, or Amy for an hour..." Anthony said.  
"And it's fun watching you squirm."  
  
"Great." Jim said. "Arcadia's in the hands of a sadist."   
  
"I'm just kidding." Anthony said, tossing them each a bottle of water. Azalea caught  
hers and immeadeately began guzzling it down. Jim fumbled with his, then followed suit.  
  
"Is it gonna be this hard every day?" Jim asked. He regretted the words the moment they  
left his mouth.  
  
"Of course not." Anthony replied. "They will be much harder."  
  
Both Jim and Azalea sighed.  
  
End Chapter 2 


	3. Twist and shout

Chapter 3:Twist and shout  
  
Jim got up and yawned. One of muscles still ached from a 'lovetap' given to him from  
Goku in their spar.  
  
"Gooooooooooooooood Morning!" Anthony said, as Jim walked into Anthony's small kitchen  
and helped himself to some cereal.  
  
"That was the worst Robin Williams impression my ears have hade the torture to hear."  
Jim said groggily. "You better not be a morning person."   
  
"No, it's just that Arcadia's been quiet, lately, so I don't use as much power." Anthony  
explained. "so, I've energy to spare."  
  
"Just don't start humming and I'm fine." Jim snarled.  
  
"Stayed up a little late, Jim?" Anthony asked.  
  
"It doesn't matter if I go to bed at eight or at two, I'm always like this in the   
morning." The sour look on Jim's face got even more sour, so Anthony decided to leave it at that.  
  
Azalea came in the same state, except she seemed to be wide awake. "Move over!" She   
yelled grouchily.  
  
"What's with you?" Jim said, not moving.  
  
"I said move OVER!" she yelled. "I am in my period, and I AM NOT IN THE MOOD FOR   
BULLSHIT!!"  
  
She screamed so loudly that Jim reflexively moved. Azalea didn't even thank him, but   
took his cereal and began eating.  
  
"That...was mine." Jim said slowly, but Azalea's glare made it certain that he was to   
get himself another bowl. "When it rains it pours." Jim muttered so as Azalea would not hear him.  
*********  
  
Jim was quiet, as to make sure not to give Azalea the excuse to explode she was oh, so  
looking for.   
  
"Here we are." Anthony said. "Okayama Japan."  
  
"Masaki residence." Jim said bleakly. He had enjoyed the show, but it was perhaps the   
last place in ani-earth he wanted to visit.  
  
A red hedgehog greeted them at the door. "Hey, Anthony!" he said.  
  
"Has Sonic the hedgehog started dying his fur or is this something I don't want to know  
about?"  
  
The red hedgehog. "Great. A guy with a sense of humor." He extended his hand. "I'm   
Ashura the hedgehog."  
  
"Jim Silver." Jim said.   
  
"Azalea Katsuya." Azalea said, not bothering to extend her hand.  
  
If Ashura was offended by this, he hid it well. "You're here for a lesson with Washu,  
right?"  
  
"yeah." Jim said.   
  
"Godspeed." Ashura said.  
  
"May the force be with you." Jim replied.  
  
"Live long and prosper." Ashura answered.  
  
"Gotta catch em' all." Jim answered.   
  
"Ready? fight!" Ashura responded.  
  
"How the hell did this start?" Jim asked.  
  
Ashura shrugged. Then they heard a far-off voice. "C'mon, Tenchi, it'll be fun!"  
  
Jim, Azalea, and Ashura(Anthony had the common sense to leave well enough alone) snuck   
up and pushed over a bush to see Ryoko pushing a bottle of wine towards Tenchi.   
  
"For the last time, Ryoko! I have my chores."Tenchi said, moving back.  
  
"Aww, you're no fun!" Ryoko replied. Then she turned apprehensively towards Jim and  
Azalea. "Who are they?"  
  
Jim and Azalea moved back, trying to get out the situation, then they both felt something  
pull on their ears hard.  
  
"There you are!" Washu's childish voice said. "Trying to skip my class, eh?"  
  
"Leggo of my ear, dammit!" Jim yelled.   
  
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Azalea said as she dragged them to her class.  
  
"These are my newest students, Ryoko." Washu said. "You're not allowed to rob them."  
  
Anthony sighed. "It's gonna be a loooooong day."  
  
*********  
  
Sally stormed in after her father. "Really, dad. You can't just pull him out of the   
school like that!" They were in the hall of Mobotropolis's   
  
King Acorn looked back at her. "It's not that easy." he said greiviously. "Racism doesn't  
magically dissapear after shining hero in armor comes. It's been a year-and-half. You can't  
disquiet it so quickly."  
  
"So, you let the bigots have their way?" Sally insisted.   
  
King Acorn shook his furry head. "It was a stretch for the people to even accept the  
gamemaster. But you should also remember that they are the minority."  
  
"I can't believe this." Sally said. "You of all people should know that you should give  
overlanders chances. You even gave Julian Kintobor a second chance."  
  
"Julian was not working of his own free will!" The king replied, his fur begining to  
quiver. He began to calm down. "Listen, Sally. Look at it my way; I had to bend a lot of rule,  
and do a lot pressing on Mobotropolis's school board to let him in, and then we hear he's getting  
into fights. I get hundreds of letters the next day about how, they don't want 'violent   
overlanders' in the same school as their child. Could you think of a better solution than the one  
I've given?"  
  
"You could have given him detention or something!" Sally replied. "You should have   
treated him exactly as you would a mobian."  
  
"That's true, Sally. That should have happened." King Acorn responded. "But there is a  
fine line between what is right, and what must be done."  
  
"Sorry to interupt, but..." Sally turned and King Acorn turned to see Anthony leaning  
against one of the pillars. "Where does this Marcus Chestnut live?"  
  
"Why?" King Acorn asked apprehensively.   
  
"I read the report he wrote." Anthony replied. "It said that both Jim and Azalaea, the  
two I took for training, were both bullying a kid named Fangs, and began pounding on him   
together." Anthony shook his head. "I've only spent a few days with them, but they really don't  
seem the type to bully, especially not Azalea."  
  
"That's rather circumstansial evidence, Anthony." The king said, fixing his crown.  
  
"Not just that, but Amy saw it too." Anthony said. "According to her, that's not what   
happened. According to her, Fangs picked a fight with Jim, and threw the first punch. Azalea   
stayed out of it completely. While that doesn't quite justify Jim's actions, I don't think it  
covers the premise for exageratting one's premise and completely lying about the other."  
  
King Acorn's face turned grave. "I see..."  
  
"I'm glad you agree." Anthony said, begining to leave. "I'll go have a chat with Mr.  
Chestnut."  
  
"Wait, Anthony." Sally said, stopping him. "Let me go."  
  
Anthony was confused. "Err...if it's all the same to you, I'd rather go."  
  
"It's NOT all the same, Anthony." Sally said. "This person clearly has issues against  
overlanders, and you going there and telling him he wasn't wrong won't help." Sally walked to  
the door. "I think being reprimanded by one of his own kind would be more instructive."  
*******  
  
"Wow." Jim said, between mouthfulls. "This is really good." Had Jim been more attentive,  
he would have realized he had just eaten a whole carrot from Ryo-ohki's disk. He did notice that  
he couldn't breath. Jim pounded on his chest three times, and spit the carrot back onto   
Ryo-ohki's dish.  
  
"Eeew." Kiyone said. "That's disgusting!" Ryo-ohki didn't seem to mind though. She was  
gobbling the carrot greedily.  
  
"So, why is Anthony taking you two under his wing?" Crystallis, a friendly female  
hedgehog, asked.  
  
"Something about this guy who lived during the arcadian age." Jim said, taking a big   
bite off a rice ball. "We're his descendants and he was friends with that first Gamemaster  
guy. We have these super magic powers and such."  
  
"Wow." Tenchi said.  
  
"I know." Ryoko said. "Talk about convienent coincidences."   
  
"So, Anthony's having go through sword training, magical isolation, hand-to-hand   
combat and all this crap so that we 'rebuild the time of my ancestor'." Jim handed Azalea a   
bowl. "Pickles?"  
  
Azalea had lost her appetite from watching Jim and Ryoko eat, and was still suffering   
her period. She politely decline. Note that when I say politely, I mean she didn't bodily harm  
anyone at the table. "Face it." Azalea said angrily. "I don't care if you've broken more bones  
than Jackie Chan, you'll never have PMS."  
  
*Good thing too.* Jim thought. His temper was bed enough already without an excuse to  
fuel it.  
  
It was about here that Jim began agreeing with Anthony. It was going to be a long day.  
********  
  
Salazar looked at Soontir with a devilish grin. "Welcome to Neo-Mordor." he said.  
  
"Sal..." Soontir said apprehensively. "You're creepin' me out."  
  
"There's nothing to be afraid of." Salazar replied. "Come... follow me."  
  
Soontir looked around the dark and long halls of the palace. There was nothing more   
creepy in all his expierienced. He noticed white wisps the rushed quickly. "What are those...  
things?"  
  
"Ghost of wicked spirits." Salazar answered.   
  
"Ghosts..." Soontir said nervously. "So, uh, they can't hurt me right."  
  
"As long as you smell right, they won't bother you." Salazar said, grinning devilishly  
again. Soontir gave a whimper and stayed close to Salazar.  
  
"So, what's going on?" Salazar asked.  
  
"Humanity is a flawed race, wouldn't you agree?" Salazar commented.  
  
"Er, oh, yes." Soontir said, seeing he was obviously supposed to agree.  
  
"You have heard of Dr. Ivo Robotnik's idea to use the Eclipse cannon to bring the  
world into submission?"  
  
"Yeah. It was only all over the news." Soontir answered, not seeing how either of these  
could have possibly been intertwined.   
  
"Yet another example of the flaws of humans." Salazar snarled. "War...pollution...little  
did Robotnik know he had the solution to all these problems. He just used them under the flawed  
ambitions of humanity. But my cannon is of a different sort."  
  
"So, what?" Soontir asked, not understanding. "You're going to take over the world?"  
  
"Not take over it. Correct it." They came to a large hall with a throne at the end and a   
crystal ball in the middle. "I am using the magic of the souls trapped in these gems to awaken  
the Merlin cannon, and finally correct and rid the world of any flaws!"  
  
"I'm kinda confused." Soontir said. "How are you gonna 'correct' the earth, and what   
magic?"  
  
"To answer your first, the merlin cannon will simply kill those who do not comply with  
my wishes."  
  
"But, won't a lot of people die?" Soontir asked.  
  
"Regrettable, yes." Salazar replied. "But, in perspective, it's almost nothing compared  
to the lack of wars, improvement of ecology."  
  
"But everyone will live in fear!" Soontir said. "Stealing is one thing. But this! This   
is people's lives!"  
  
"A thief and plunderer gives me a lecture?" Salazar asked.  
  
"Even us thieves have morals."  
  
"Ah, yes." Salazar said. "The code of the thief. You never hurt the innocent. Now, how  
does this violate your code?"  
  
"Because you'll be hurting the innocent!" Soontir yelled. he unsheathed his swords.  
"I won't let you do it!" He charged for Salazar.  
  
But before he could, something impaled him through his mouth. It was a wooden staff held  
by Salazar. Salazar ripped out his staff and the dead Soontir fell to the ground.  
  
"How pathetic." Salazar said. "I didn't even need to use magic on him."  
  
What Soontir didn't know about the gems he had helped Salazar steal, was that each one  
contained the soul of an evil and ancient wizard, giving them immense magical power. Salazar  
had each of them surround the crystal ball, and each jem as it circled arround the ball faster  
and faster began to lose color and the crystal began to gain color until the nine gems were  
completely clear.  
  
"What?! Still not enough power?!" Salazar clenched his hand. "Why does god keep me away  
from my noble pursuit?" He closed his eyes. "I see. I only require two more souls. There are  
many magicks in Arcadia. It wouldn't be hard to find suitable contenders."  
*********  
  
The month went by a lot quicker than Jim expected. He excelled at Washu's classes, mainly  
because all the science she taught was practical and applied. The weapons and hand-to-hand  
combat classes were getting easier by the day as well.  
  
One thing that Jim found in his free time was Arcadian history. The mobian liraries   
were full of them. Unfortunately, few had anything more than legend and myth. This is what Jim  
was able to discern.  
  
Alastor Moor was the head of the order of wizards. They were the magical law of   
arcadia. They decided what kind of magic was legal, and what kind counted as dark. There were  
times when Sir Eric would be the 'back up'.   
  
He also learned that Mason island was the most abundant source of mythril in Arcadia.  
It was said that a war broke out between all the worlds over control of this island. Jim  
guessed that Sir Eric must have used the final power around this time, because arcadian history  
abruptly ended after this war.  
  
He also learned that most wizards back then spoke Magish. (Pronounced Mage-ish) Because  
of the risk and responisibility needed as a wizard, this language was created as a precaution  
for secrecy so none would truly know what the order of wizards was planning.   
  
Jim and Azalea also worked hard at advancing their magical powers. Jim had learned new  
spells in addition to the blast of inferno and kamehameha . He had learned the Rageiki, a blast   
of lightning from the sky, the mind shield, a defense against all physical, and most magical and   
energy attacks,(Depending on how strong he wanted the shield to be, it could be easy or an  
extreme task) and bind, an elaborate magick that paralysed the victim.  
  
Azalea was busy at work with her spells too. She had developed the fire bow,  
lightning bow, and the earth bow, each shooting an arrow with a quality similar to it's name.   
She had also developed the earth-shatter, a short earthquake in a concentrated place.  
  
Yes, the month had passed quickly. Jim hadn't expected to be half this comfortable on   
another planet, but he found it even better than the earth. Fangs and Chestnut being the   
exception, almost every mobian, hylian, gardenian, and Neo-earther was friendly. This was also  
why Jim was so shocked when Jim offered to let him leave.  
  
"I'll stay." Jim said as though he really didn't care. "This stuff might come in handy  
one day."  
  
Amy came in then. 'High guys." she said. "How's the training going?"  
  
"Not bad." Jim said. "I bet I could beat the gamemaster given a few days."  
  
"Really?" Amy asked. "Think you can take me on?"  
  
"No problem." Jim said wryly.  
  
"Oh god, Jim. Don't do this. She's a personal student of Anthony!" Azalea said. "You  
wanna get in trouble again?"  
  
"Sure." Jim said, shrugging. "If Anthony's okay with it, I want to try out what I've  
learned."  
  
"Amy, are you sure about this? He's pretty good, even if he's only been at this for  
a month." Anthony cajoled.   
  
"I'll be okay." Amy replied. "I mean, he wouldn't seriously hurt me, would he?"  
  
"Fine." Anthony said shrugging.   
  
They came to an open field so they wouldn't break anything in Anthony's house.  
  
Amy pulled out her sword. "Ready?"  
  
Jim pulled out his staff. "Fight!" Jim staff clashed against Amy's sword. They   
exchanged blows and parries, neither hitting each other. Amy then tried to hit Jim with her  
Pyrokinesis.   
  
"Mind shield!" Jim yelled, blocking it. "Not bad. Try this. RAGEIKI!" A lightning bolt  
flew from the sky and Amy rose her sword to block it. She instantly felt her mistake.  
  
Anthony buried his face into his hands. "Why didn't she remember that metal conducts  
electricity?"  
  
Amy's fur was now slightly singed. She didn't look happy. She shot out a psionic blast  
and Jim activated his mind-shield again. It was as effective this time. It knocked it down, but  
didn't get any serious damage.   
  
Right then, Sonic ran right in between them, barely missing Jim's staff. "Anth, you're  
not gonna believe this!"  
  
"What?" Anthony asked.  
  
"It's Packbell! And he's in some sort of weird thing!" Sonic said.  
  
Despite the unhelpful description, Anthony knew from expierience that Packbell had the  
imagination to create something very cruel and devastating. "Stay here." Anthony informed them.  
  
"As if." Jim said when Anthony had gone. "Come on, let's go Az."  
  
"Uh-uh." Azalea replied. "I know trouble when I see it!"  
  
"But we haven't seen him." Jim replied. "That's my point."  
  
"I'm not talking about Packbell." Azalea replied. "I'm talking about you!"  
  
"Fine." Jim replied. "I'll go alone."  
  
Sneaking was a specialty of Jim's that he had learned by pure neccesity. He could make  
himself soundless and nearly invisible if he wanted to, and that was a good advantage since  
Packbell was destroying everything he saw.  
  
Packbell seemed to be in a huge mechanized walker that breifly reminded Jim of AT-STs in  
Return of the Jedi. Only this had arms to swing around and beat stuff with as well as three   
missiles on each side. Anthony was slashing at it, and Sonic was hitting it constantly with his   
homing attack.  
  
"Wondering why your powers won't work, Gamemaster?" Packbell asked. "This metal is  
enforced to block against special types of energy. Namely, descendancy powers."  
  
"How about Neo-magic?" Jim asked, raising his staff. "RAGEIKI!" he yelled.  
A lightning bolt shot from the sky and hit Packbell's walker squarely. Jim stepped out of his  
hiding spot. Anthony knew that attack, so pretending it wasn't would be of no use, and he liked  
to fight fair rather than sneaking around.   
  
"Impudent." Packbell said. "But hardly powerful. You didn't even shake this walker."  
  
"Really?" Jim asked. "BIND!" He yelled, Packbell began to press some button on his   
operation, but nothing happened.   
  
"Good, Jim!" Anthony said. "You aim for the cockpit with another spell, and I'll de-leg  
it." Anthony pulled out his lightsaber, the only weapon useful right now.   
  
Jim was focusing on both the a blazing inferno and his bind technique. And believe me,  
it isn't easy to focus on two difficult spells at the same time.   
  
Packbell seemed to sense the weakness Jim was having, but it was too late for him to   
damage any more citizens since Anthony had finished 'de-legging' Packbell. But Packbell had  
the presence of mind to hit a missile. It had impacted with Jim's blazing inferno causing a   
blaze Jim couldn't see.  
**********  
  
Jim woke up to see stars. Not the kind of stars you see when someone hits you very hard,  
but real stars in the sky. He sat up and was perplexed that he was sitting on absolutely nothing.  
Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a transparent bridge made of a material Jim had  
never seen before.   
  
"So I guess I'm dead and this is the bridge to heaven." Jim observed. "Or hell. Or   
reincarnation. I don't believe this... then again, I haven't really in a position to believe  
anything lately." He noticed his staff was on the ground. Jim picked it up and put it through   
his jacket to spare his hands carrying it.   
  
"Curious, isn't it, boy?" a cold voice in front of Jim said. Jim noticed that it was   
Packbell.   
  
"What are you doing here, metal man?" Jim asked.  
  
"Metal Man?" Packbell asked, his eyes brightening.  
  
"Hey, Anthony's got accountant. I figured his arch-rival needed a nickname too."  
  
"Not that anyone else will live long enough to hear it." Packbell said.   
  
"You want to fight here?" Jim asked. "Are you nuts? This way we'll both die!"  
  
"Not really." Packbell said. "According to my calculations, we're no longer in the   
normal reality, meaning my home computer presumes me dead. It's uploading a new Packbell as  
we speak-" Right then Packbell fell down into the void of constant stars. Jim didn't see any  
planets, so it looked like he would be falling for a near-eternity.   
  
So, now Jim had two options. Walk across the 'bridge' and risk the same fate as Packbell,  
or stay here for the rest of his life, which wouldn't be too long since there was no food or  
water around.  
  
"You may cross." a voice said. "Packbell's lack of a soul weighed him off this bridge of  
purity. How can a machine such cold intentions be pure?"   
  
Jim carefully walked down the bridge, and floating in the air was a reptilian creature  
in a tiki mask. He seemed familiar.  
  
"I know you!" Jim proclaimed. "You're one of the ancient walkers!"  
  
"Thee's observance is keen." the ancient walker said.   
  
"So, do you guys have names or do I just call you walker?" Jim asked.   
  
"We have no earthly names." the ancient walker replied.  
  
"Okay, here's a better question." Jim replied. "Why am I here?"  
  
"These five mirrors look five ways." The ancient walker replied. "The far past, the  
near past, the present, the near future, and the far future. Come and see."  
  
Jim looked into one mirror. There stood two men. One was clad in medievel armor with a  
sword. The other had a long cloak with a bow and arrow identical to Azalea's and a staff   
identical to Jim's.  
  
"Alastor Moor and Sir Eric." Jim stated.  
  
"Yes..." The ancient walker said. "Isn't it an enigma how history repeats itself?"  
  
"Like a bad remix CD." Jim said. He looked into the next mirror. It was Anthony using   
the final power. "So, what's this got to do with me?"  
  
"Curious." The walker replied. "Your and the gamemaster's fates are now intertwined.  
You live and breath at the same time."  
  
Jim shrugged and went to the next mirror. He saw a bunch of broken glass. No, the mirror  
wasn't broken.(Insert face breaking mirror joke here.) but it was showing a group of broken  
glass shard spread upon the floor.  
  
"Remember, the silliest things in our lives can be some of the most essential."  
  
Jim, not making heads or tales of this, looked at the final mirror. A tombstone. On it,  
was engraved 'James Alexander Silver'.  
  
"The fate of every warrior." The ancient walker said. "A path thy will also walk some  
day."  
  
"All this is connected some way?" Jim asked. "Kinda like solving a puzzle where most of  
the pieces are missing, isn't it?"  
  
"You must look for the pieces." The walker replied. "And to help thy with, I will answer  
one question."  
  
"Just one?" Jim asked.  
  
"Thy answer is yes!" The walker replied.  
  
"No!" Jim yelled. "That wasn't my questi-aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!"  
******  
  
"Where are they?" Anthony asked. Packbell and Jim were gone. No explosion, no flash of  
light, they just dissapeared.   
  
"Yo, what happened?" Sonic asked. "I've know he can do magic and all, but why'd he go   
Las Vegas on us?"  
  
"Were they vaporized?" Amy asked.  
  
"I don't think so." Anthony said. "There was no sound. There would have been some sort of  
light too. I just don't get it."  
*********  
  
Jim opened his eyes and wished he hadn't. The endless stars made him naseous. He closed  
his eyes again....and landed. Cautiously, Jim opened his eyes again. He was surrounded by   
endless miles of sand. Nothing as far as the eye could see.  
  
Where the hell was he?  
  
End Chapter 3  
*********  
Writer's notes:Well, I might as well give these. I had NO IDEA the story would go this way.  
Though I guess that now the title 'Twist and shout' is a bit more fitting. But the last few  
parts of this chapter are the results of two deadly things  
  
1)Procrastination  
2)Lack of sleep  
  
Never write at 2 in the morning. 


	4. Don't worry, be happy

Chapter 4:Don't worry, be happy  
  
I apologize for getting ahead of myself in this story. The next part I will tell you   
about is completely irrelevant to Jim and Azalea, but is important to the story nonetheless. We   
must also go a few weeks back.  
  
Sally walked into the office of Marcus Chestnut. He immeadaetely stopped grading the  
papers on his desk. "Princess Sally Acorn!" he exclaimed. "Have a seat please."  
  
"Thank you." Sally said, sitting down. "I'd like to speak with you about the humans you   
had sent out of the school a few days."  
  
"Ah, that." Chestnut said confidently. "Yes, the two over- humans were disrupting a  
student. I felt it prudent to stop them. And they resisted."  
  
"According to a friend of mine, it was the mobian who attacked first." Sally replied.  
  
"I'm sorry, your liege, but the overlanders were the attackers." Chestnut replied.   
  
Chestnut had made a fatal error. "You're saying that the people I trust are unreliable?"  
  
Chestnut nearly fell over himself. "Of course not! It's just that these humans were-"  
  
"Mr. Chestnut, your words are that of a bigot." Sally said.  
  
"I am no bigot!" Chestnut protested.   
  
"Then, I think you'll do fine." Sally said. "You see, Arcadia's started this program in  
which teachers from different worlds would come and spend a semester teaching other students. I  
think a year on earth should be a good learning expierience for you."  
  
"Princess Acorn, with all due respect-" Chestnut began.  
  
"This isn't up for negotioation." Sally replied. "My father may have permitted you acts,  
but I will not tolerate bigotry of any form in a kingdom I've work so hard to keep standing!"  
And with that she walked out.  
************  
  
Jim stood in the desert. Where was he? All he could see was sand for miles and miles   
around. The Ancient walker had just dropped him there. And he hadn't helped Bit's disposition  
with his mystical mumbo-jumbo at all. Jim was given these choices to decipher:  
  
A)Something about glass and dying  
B)Forty-two!  
C)What the hell?  
D)Some of the above  
  
So, here Jim was, confused beyond belief. Jim looked at the sun and started trudging  
north. "In times of trouble..." Jim said to himself. "Stay confused. You'll feel a lot better."  
  
The ground began to tremble right then. "That can't be good." Jim observed. He was right.  
A giant sandworm popped out of the ground snarling. "I think I'm in trouble..." The sandworm  
roared splaying saliva on Jim. "I know I'm trouble!"  
  
"Well, if I'm going out," Jim said, taking out his staff. "I'm doing it like a man!"  
  
The Sandworm charged down for him, but Jim was prepared. "Ka...me...ha....me...HA!!!"  
  
The blast flew from his staff and hit the sandworm dead-on. This only seemed to anger  
the sandworm more. Jim charged for another kamehameha. "Ka...me...-AAAH!" The sandworm was too  
quick and gobbled Jim like a bullimic would a chicken Mcnugget. Right after that a lightning bolt  
hit the sandworm, and it split in two, a wet Jim in the middle. "That was fun. Let's never do it  
again."  
  
"Well, well." a voice said. "Look what the worm dragged in."  
  
Jim turned to see an ant in an aussie outfit. Jim for a split second, wondered what kind  
of teeth he was wearing. "Archimedes?"  
  
"That's my name." Archimedes replied. "What's an overlander doing this far in the   
Sandopolis zone?"  
  
"First, I'm not an overlander, I'm a human. and I don't know how I got here."   
Jim said. "So, I got all the way to Angel island, huh?"  
  
"Yeah." Archimedes said. "We're not too far from Echidnopolis though. Follow me."  
  
It was about an hour's walk to Echidnopolis and Jim walked to the EST station.  
  
"Hello, young man." The officer at the top said. "How can I help you?"   
  
"Yeah, can you get me the next flight to Knothole?" The echidna looked at him. Jim   
didn't see why. The guy seemed pretty okay with the fact that Jim was a human. "Um, Constable  
Remington, where is Knuckles?"  
  
"He's with the gamemaster last I heard." Remington replied. He looked at Jim. "What's  
your name young man?"  
  
"Jim Silver." Jim said.  
  
"Really?" Remington said. "Sir Bault was just here looking for you!"  
  
"Okay." Jim said. "So, he doesn't think I'm dead?"  
  
"Apparently not." Remington said. "Wait here."   
  
Half an hour later, Anthony, Jenna, Lars, Azalea, and Knuckles came to the station.   
  
"Bout time." Jim said. "The whole crew's here, eh?"  
  
"Jim, what the hell happened?" Anthony asked. "One second you're fighting Packbell, the  
next you're gone."  
  
Jim went into a detailed(though very quick) explanation of his visit to  
the astral plane and his conversation with the ancient walker.  
  
"You expect us to believe that the ancient walkers took time to save you from  
explosion and show you a bunch of mirrors?" Knuckles asked.   
  
"No." Jim admitted. "But you're the good guys. You automatically believe every word is  
true."  
  
Anthony shook his head. "Fine."   
  
"I don't get it though." Jenna said. "Why you?"  
  
"Why not me?" Jim said. "Why'd you bring the whole posse here, Anth?" he asked. "Wouldn't  
it do you better to split up?"  
  
"We did." Anthony explained. "Sonic's leading another group, so are Mario and megaman."  
  
Jim shrugged. "Listen...can you just give me a break for a bit? I'm dead tired."  
********  
  
Salazar opened his eyes. "Someone just popped in and out of the Astral plane." he told  
himself. He closed his eyes. "Ah, yes. They're on Angel island right now. Two wizards...  
Neo-mages, I can sense their magical origin." He opened his eyes. "Not very strong, but much  
potential. Perfect additions for the merlin cannon." He looked at the crystal ball, having   
swirling colors. "How strange is it that to invoke justice, I need to be as cruel and callous as  
those I intend to destroy?"  
  
He shook his head. "Hawever I cannot risk myself here." He turned. "I guess now is the  
time to finish Hyper Mecha Sonic." he looked to work bench. A lifeless robot stood there in   
what looked like Metal Sonic if he had taken steroids. "As soon as you are finished, the world  
will expierience justice."  
********  
  
Jim and Azalea walked into Washu's lab to find a new piece of machinery in the lab.   
It was a seat surrounded by a number of controls. "Hi Washu-chan." Jim said, going by her   
preffered name. "What's with this stuff?"   
  
"Well, you see from our last experiment, I found out that magic affects your brainwaves  
differently, increasing your reflexes, reasoning, intelligence. Y'know. So, I decided to do  
another test, though I must admit, this one of my less capable inventions."  
  
"So, what is it?" Azalea asked.  
  
"It's a zero system." Washu explained. "It analyzes data from the attack formation, the  
mobile suit's capabilities, and pumps that info into the pilot's brain. This tells the pilot   
what move to make, increasing his reaction time to nearly zero, hence the name. The problem is   
that after awhile the system runs out of information to give, so it draws it from the pilot's  
brain. The problem with that is that unless the pilot is completely focused, with absolutely  
nothing else but the opponent on his mind, every doubt, every petty distraction will be magnified  
and one of two things will happen. Either the pilot will stop alltogether moving, or he'll go on  
a mad killing frenzy."  
  
"Like in Gundam wing." Jim said.  
  
"Exactly." Washu said. "Fortunately, this is hooked up to a simulator and not a real   
mobile suit. That should prevent any mass destruction." Azalea thought she saw Washu's mouth  
twitch.   
  
"so, why are you doing this anyways?" Azalea asked. "Don't the risks show that it's   
dangerous."  
  
"Yes, well, I have a theory that since your magical abilities focus your minds better,  
that you'll be able to focus zero better."  
  
"Makes sense." Azalea said.   
  
"I'd like Azalea to go first, because I've never actually seen a female work in a zero  
system."  
  
"Okay." Azalea said. She stepped in. "Okay. You move it like this, right?" She asked,  
pushing one of the sticks. "Okay. You can start the simulation." Jim watched as Azalea move   
the sticks. During the fifteen minutes she was in, Washu would say things such 'hmmm' and   
"interesting reaction considering the situation."   
  
"What the- I was hit!" Azalea cried.  
  
"It's designed to make varied enemies until you're destroyed." Washu explained. "Don't  
take it personally. Your response to the zero system was paricularly interesting."  
  
"Why?" Azalea asked. "what happened?"   
  
"Your brain interacted slower to the zero system than a male would." Washu explained.  
"this caused a reaction to the zero system to send you information faster. So fast, in fact,  
that you didn't expierience the warping effects of zero."   
  
"Oh. Cool." Azalea said.  
  
"But...I'm not sure whether that's because you're a wizardess or because you're female."  
Washu said. "In any case, there's one way to find out. Jim, it's your turn."  
  
Jim, who had been playing with Ryo-ohki scratched the cabit's head and came forward.   
He strapped himself into the psuedo-cockpit and put both hands on the shift sticks. "So, what  
weapons does this have?" he asked.  
  
"A beam-saber, head vulcans, a buster rifle, and fin-funnels." Washu informed.  
  
"Okay." Jim said. "Let's see what this thing can do. Turn it on."   
  
Immeadately, Jim was engulfed in starlight. He began tapping at the console.   
  
[Mobile suit found.] the screen said. [Identifying...Gouf.]   
  
"Allright." Jim said. "Washu didn't cut me any brakes. That's okay though." The Gouf  
charged forward. "Stupid computer." Jim said. "I forgot. Goufs are land machines." Jim aimed the  
buster rifle at the Gouf's cockpit and fired. "Let's hope the next one isn't a guntank." Jim said  
smugly.   
  
The next Mobile suit was a Zaku-II. "Perfect." Jim commented. The Zaku had a gun too, but  
his was a rapid-fire weapon, not energy. The controls of the suit were near perfect. It seemed  
to read his mind rather than his movements as he dodged the firing of the zaku. Jim fired   
again and agan until he shot down the Zaku. "Out of power already?" Jim threw the rifle and  
ignited the beam-saber.   
  
Jim couldn't believe what the next one was. "Wing Zero?" he asked. The zero ignited it's  
beam-saber also. Jim and Wing Zero traded endless blows. It was this time that Jim began to  
feel the effects of the Zero system. Jim suddenly felt a weird sensation, as though he couldn't  
move. Then the screen went black.  
  
"Huh?" Jim asked. "What happened?"  
  
"You were destroyed, but if it's any consolation, Wing Zero destroyed you at the  
same time."  
  
Jim shrugged. "So, how'd I do?"  
  
"Almost exactly the same as Azalea's, except you reacted quicker to the Zero system  
against Wing Zero." Washu informed. "It seems that neo-mages operate similarly under easy   
conditions, but under pressure, the male brain seems to be more subject to the zero's effects.  
  
"I think I got it." Jim said.  
  
"Good." Washu, said taking her holoboard and projecting an image with it. "Our next  
unit is robotics. We'll be building this."  
  
Jim gaped. It was obviously a cross-section for the Nu gundam. "You...have the technology  
to build this?"  
  
"Of course." Washu said. "I'm not the number one scientific genius in the universe for  
nothing, y'know."   
  
Then, a puppet version of Washu with an 'A' on it's chest came onto Washu's shoulder and  
started yelling "Washu, Washu! You are the greatest!"  
  
Then another Washu puppet, this one with a 'B', came too. "Washu, Washu! You are a  
genius!" Washu then began laughing maniacly.  
*******  
  
"So, you a didn't even a know you were gone-a?" Mario asked. Jim was taking his saturday  
off by hanging out in gardenia. He had met up with Mario, and they had started discussing the   
strange turn of events against Packbell.  
  
"Yeah." Jim said. "One sec I'm fighting with the metal man, next I'm in this other  
dimension with a bunch of mystic babble."  
  
"Metal Man?" Mario asked uncertainly.  
  
"It's what I call Packbell." Jim explained.   
  
"Ah. Well, I don't a get it." Mario said. "Why did a they just pick you a up and then a  
drop you a down?"  
  
"Kinda like asking if there's a god." Jim said. "I think it's just their way of having  
fun. They show me a bunch of smoke and mirrors, pass it off as my future, and have a few laughs  
behind my back."  
  
"I a guess that a makesa sense." Mario said.   
  
Then a toad ran over to them, franticly. "HEEEEEEELLLPPP!" it yelled shrilly. "ROBBERY!"  
  
  
"What a is it a toad?" Mario asked.  
  
"I was robbed!!!" Toad said frantically. "It was this big, blue robot that looked like  
Sonic!"  
  
Jim paused, hardly daring to believe it. According to Washu, Metal Sonic was a good  
guy now. Then again, the robot's track record was aginst him. "You don't think..."  
  
"There's a only one way to finda out." Mario said.   
********  
  
They were at the Masaki residence now. Accompanying them were Megaman and Sonic.   
"But I don't get it." Anthony interjected. "Why would he steal jewels? It's just not something  
Robotnik designed him for."  
  
"Well, Eggman didn't design him to be a maiden guardian, but here we are." Megaman  
replied.   
  
"But stilla, I thought Metal Sonica was helping us." Mario put in.   
  
"Let's not forgot everything he used to do though." Jim put in. "He was a servant of   
Robotnik after all. This could be just some malfunction in his programming Eggman put in just in  
case this kind of thing happened. I mean, he could have been linked to those earlier jewel   
thefts."  
  
"Good point." Anthony said. "But how come he was only seen this time?"   
  
Then, Ashura greeted them. "Hi guys, what's up?"   
  
"Tell me, Ashura, has Metal Sonic left the place anytime lately?" Anthony asked.   
  
"Uh...no." Ashura said. "Why?"  
  
"You know those jewel thefts in the news?" Jim asked.  
  
"Yeah." Ashura asked. "What about them?"   
  
"Well, we have some reason to believe it was Metal Sonic." Anthony said.  
  
"Well, it wasn't him." a voice behind them said.  
  
"GAH!" everyone yelled, turning to see Washu.  
  
"Christ, Washu." Sonic said. "DON'T DO THAT!"  
  
"And how exactly do you know he didn't do it?" Megaman asked.  
  
Metal, who must have been listening from a distance caame down the steps. [Because I  
told her.]   
  
"You see, after the robberies all over Arcadia, I decided to map all the serious gem   
stores, and I got an energy signal similar to Metal Sonic's, only much stronger. I asked Metal  
himself, since I entered a chip into him where if he's confronting me, he has to tell the truth."  
  
"Convient." Jim commented.   
  
"Yes, very." Washu said. "Since there's a Metal-imposter out there, I tracked for an  
energy like Metal Sonic's and it seems, he's coming after you, Jim." Washu opened her holo-pad.  
"And Azalea."  
  
Everyone exchanged glances. "Where is she?" Jim asked.  
  
"He's movin' towards Anthony's house." Washu said, pointing at a red blip on her holopad.  
"Draw your own conclusions."   
  
"Let's get going!" Jim exclaimed. "If this guy gets Azalea, he'll come after me next."  
Jim opened a capsule revealing his skim-board and sped off withouy another word.   
  
"Well, well." Megaman said. "Looks like someone has a crush."  
  
"Let's get going!" Sonic said, starting to run.  
  
"Wait, Sonic." Anthony said. "We're not fighting in this one."  
  
Sonic promptly stopped running and almost tripped over himself. "Why not?"  
  
"The original reason I was looking for other types of mystical energies is to find out   
more about descendancy powers." Anthony explained. "I found out even more than I expected. and  
just as it was my destiny to become the next gamemaster, it's their destiny to re-create the  
order of wizards. But that will never happen if we become mother-hens to them."  
  
"Huh." Mario said. "Quite an accomplishmenta. But what if hea getsa killed?"   
  
"Don't worry." Anthony said. "I can sense Jim fine. If his life gets dangerous, I'll  
teleport there and pull them out."  
  
**********  
  
Jim was in Mobius, and gaining towards Anthony's house until he saw Azalea facing off  
with the psuedo-Metal Sonic.   
  
"These arrows can't hurt me!" Mecha-Sonic(which he will be reffered to as from now on)  
yelled. "I am made of Iron, the one substance resistant to magic!"  
  
Jim didn't bother to say anything, but revved his skim-board to full-power and slammed  
it into Mecha-Sonic. The metallic hedgehog fell over into the dirt.  
  
"Geez, and I thought Buttnik's stuff looked ridiculous!" Jim commented. "But Metal Sonic  
on steroids? That's just classic! And why are you following me?"  
  
"Jim, what the hell are you doing here?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Someone needs to help you." Jim said, seeing the bruise on her face, and the cut on her  
forearm. "And I'm just the guy to do it!"  
  
"I am no minion of the Eggman." the robot said. "I am Mecha-Sonic, capturer of magical  
souls and extension of myself. And I need your soul now. Now, I can kill you quietly, or   
you can fight the inevitable."  
  
"Really?" Jim asked, taking out his staff. "Bring it on, 10 W-40 breath!"  
  
"Careful, Jim." Azalea said, getting into a fighting stance. "Don't let his claws get   
you, they're really sharp. And Magic doesn't work against him."  
  
"So, we can't use spells." Jim said. "So, we'll just have to rip him limb from cybernetic  
limb!"  
  
"I'd like to see you try." Mecha Sonic said. Then it moved to do something with it's  
claw, and Jim raised his staff to block. "Impossible!" he exclaimed. "How can you be fast enough  
to block that hit?"  
  
Jim blocked several mre hits from Mecha Sonic, and Mecha Sonic just dodged a kick from  
Azalea.   
  
"It seems that I underestimated your abilities." Mecha-Sonic said. "No matter. I  
will simply- zzzzt!" Jim had charged and cut the robot in half.  
  
"And that's why you always keep your guard up." Jim said.   
  
"Mythril..." Mecha-Sonic said slowly... "Only one type of wizard could have a weapon   
like that! You must be Alastor Moor's descendant!"  
  
"Nice deduction, circuit brain!" Jim replied. "A little late, though."  
  
Mecha-Sonic's eyes brightened. "Really?" as he said that, the wires from his botton half  
extended to his other half, and he was rebuilt so to speak. "You don't say?"  
  
Jim struck again, and Mecha-Sonic barely dodged it. Mecha-Sonic threw a punch at Jim,   
but Jim ducked and did a sweep. Mecha-Sonic jumped, but was hit in the by an chest arrow   
from Azalea.  
  
"Bull's eye!" She cried.   
  
This gave Jim an opening. He raised his staff and sliced off the head of the robot. This  
proved fruitless as the robot's eyes glowed and he pulled itself back together.  
  
"Delaying the inevitable." Mecha-Sonic said. Then, with blazing speed, Mecha-Sonic   
charged after Jim and launched punches faster than Jim could block.   
  
As Jim got pummeled, his staff flew out of his hands and he hit the grass hard. "Maybe  
I oughta try out that Kai-o-ken."   
  
Mecha-Sonic loomed over Jim, standing atop, looking intimidating. "Any last words before  
I go after your little friend?"  
  
Jim noticed Azalea had another arrow strung and was aiming it at Mecha-Sonic. This  
gave him a small idea. "Sure." He said, begining to glow red. And with amazing speed, Jim jumped  
up and kicked Mecha-Sonic in the face. Mecha-Sonic reeled towards Azalea, and getting the idea,  
Azalea landed another arrow through Mecha-Sonic. "How about 'gotcha?'"  
  
Jim ran for his staff, and armed again, he was ready for another round with the robotic  
offendor. Jim launched his staff again and cut off Mecha-Sonic's arm. Mecha-Sonic's eyes   
brightened and rewired his arm.  
  
Then Azalea figured it out. *His regenerative capacities must be stored in those visual  
units!* she thought, stringing another arrow. *If I could just get a clean shot..."  
  
But Mecha and Jim were locked deep in battle. "Double Kai-o-ken!" Jim yelled, his red  
aura expanding. Jim then sliced off one of Mecha's legs. His eyes glowed again, and he   
regenerated.  
  
"It doesn't matter if you slice me up into molecules, I'll still regenerate." Mecha  
said. "You'll wear out."  
  
"But you're not perfect." Jim replied. "I'm bound to find your weakness sooner or later."  
  
Then Jim heard something. *His regenerative capacities must be stored in those visual  
units! If I could just get a clean shot...*  
  
Jim needed no more said. He tackled Mecha and struggled his way to a Nelson. "AZALEA!"  
he yelled. "Shoot him, quick! I can't hold this for very long!"   
  
Azalea's arrow flew quickly into Mecha Sonic's "eyes". Then Jim went out of the Nelson  
and sliced the head off of Mecha-Sonic.   
*********  
  
Salazar fell to his knee in pain. "Perhaps putting my soul into a machine to do my dirty  
work was not the best solution. Those children have developed their skills far beyond what I had  
expected. And they are Moor's descendants. That complicates everything." Salazar said. "My soul  
will rest the judgement of destroying the two people most like to restore order to the world of  
magic..." His head bowed. "But sacrifices must be made. The world of magic suffers where the   
world in general gains. It's no question which requires more priority."  
  
He stared at the crystal ball with it's glowing colors randomly changing. "Soon enough...  
Soon enough."  
*******  
  
"So, who do you think was going after us?" Jim asked. It was hours later, and they  
were in Anthony's house watching tv.  
  
"I don't know." Azalea said. "They either have a lot of magic or a lot of technology, or  
both. Say, how did you figure out that the eyes were his weak point?"  
  
Jim was taken aback by this question. "You told me...didn't you?"   
  
"Well, I thought it." Azalea said.   
  
"Hmm..." Jim said. "HMM... Maybe when Neo-mages emotions are at similar levels they can  
send telepathic messages to each other."   
  
"There's a theory." Azalea said.   
  
"I just wanna say... thanks for the help." Jim continued. "With you, I wouldn't have  
lasted-"  
  
"Oh, no you don't!" Azalea said promptly. "Don't thank me. If it weren't for you, I would  
have been dead fast."   
  
"But if it weren't for you I'd have been fried as well." Jim replied. "How about this.  
We both would have died without each other's help."  
  
"I guess that's true." Azalea said. "But you didn't have to come. It was my fight, I   
should have finished it."  
  
"Bullshit." Jim said. "Even if I let you die there, he would have come for me later. So,  
from this day forward, we're a team." He extended his hand to Azaela.  
  
Azalea smiled. "Okay, a team. And friends."  
  
"And friends."  
  
End Chapter 4. 


	5. The long and winding road

Chapter 5:The long and winding road.  
  
Jim yawned. It was saturday morning, and he was doing what he had been doing for the   
past thirteen years of his life:watching Saturday morning cartoons. In his opinion, there was   
no age too high to appreciate the subtle art of these would-be kiddie fodders.   
  
So, there Jim was, sitting in front of the television with a big bowl of sugary cereal in  
front of him, watching Jackie Chan adventures.   
  
Azalea walked in, looking over Jim's shoulder. "Aren't you a little old for this?"   
  
"What are you talking about?" Jim asked uncertainly.   
  
Azalea sighed. "Never mind. Listen, Anthony's having a Heroes council meeting today, and  
he wants us to come."  
  
As Jim's breath half-stepped, he dribbled milk down his chin. Swallowing his cereal, he  
finally spoke.   
  
"What does he want a bunch of semi-able ragtag wizards?" Jim said, flabbergasted.  
  
"Don't ask me." Azalea said. "He mentioned something about gunondum or something like  
that?"  
  
Jim cocked his head. "Gannondorf?"   
  
"Yeah, I think that was it." Azalea replied.   
  
"That's impossible." Jim replied. "Ganon's dead, isn't he?"   
  
"Listen, I'm just telling you what I was told." Azalea replied. "I have never touched a  
video game system in my life. Finding out they're real isn't going to encourage me. So, either  
tell me what the hell you're talking about or stop blithering."  
  
Jim paused. "Okay, where do I begin?" Jim began recalling his first Nintendo and the  
little sprites of joy caused by playing it. "Maybe here. Gannondorf is an evil sorceror who   
tried to take over Hyrule by kidnapping Princess Zelda. He had the place under siege with an army  
of Moblins and other Nasties. So, some old guy gives Link a sword and tells him to save Hyrule.  
With a some help, Link takes down Gannon's army, and supposedly kills Gannon."  
  
"So why are they talking about him?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Well, he IS a video game character." Jim said.   
  
"But, why was he talking so seriously about it?" Azalea asked.  
  
"Maybe Gannondorf had a son?" Jim suggested.   
********  
  
Jim sat at the circular table of the Heroes council. It was a rather strange sensation.  
He had bonded with the heroes over the month he had spent in Arcadia, but this was the first  
time he would he see them at their work. Mario, Megaman, Sonic, Link, Zelda, Protoman, Tails,   
and many others sat down when Anthony came in. Jim and Azalea stood.  
  
"You guys can sit down, you know." Anthony said. Jim and Azalea did so. "Okay, listen.  
There have been numerous Moblin uprisings in Hyrule, Neo-Earth, and Gardenia. I'm not sure, but  
I think it's the work of Gannondorf."  
  
Link and Zelda looked astonished. "Impossible!" Link cried. "I killed him!"  
  
"The Moblins have been using this." Megaman said, handing Link a spear. "I think you know  
the crest."  
  
Link looked at it, his face hardening. "This is the crest Gannon used, no mistake."  
  
"But how do we know it's not just some other guy using Gannon's crest?" Tails asked.  
  
Zelda shook her head. "You do not understand, Tails. Gannondorf was a very powerful man,  
having magic powers rivaling even mine. No one in the Hylas would have the impudence to do   
something like that."  
  
"Which is exactly why we have to root out this problem." Anthony said. "Fortunately,   
we've fought off the moblin guards and prevented fatalities, but we need to get someone out to  
stop Gannon. I think that, in assisting Link, this would be a prime oppurtunity for them to  
show what they've learned."   
  
Jim and Azalea gaped, as did Link. It had barely been a week since the incident with   
Mecha-Sonic.   
  
"Yer kiddin' right?" Jim asked. "I mean, two under-qualified wizards and a farm-boy  
swordsman- no offense." Jim turned to Link.  
  
"None taken." Link said, waving a hand.   
  
"-going against a guy like Gannon?" Jim said. "Are you nuts?"  
  
"You don't have faith in your abilities." Anthony said. "I understand. But you can't   
keep hiding yourself from fate. You're going to face danger sooner or later. I prefer when we  
know what it is. Besides, you don't have any choice in the matter."  
  
Azalea didn't sit well with this at all. "C'mon! We're barely preforming spells, and you  
expect us to take down a guy like this?"  
  
"If Link did it before, doing it with you two shouldn't be a problem."   
  
Link didn't agree. "Listen, before, it was simple duel to the death, I can't be running  
around, protecting two kids."  
  
"They can take care of themselves." Anthony assured. "You leave tommorow for Termina,  
where the Moblin armies seem to be coming from." Anthony turned to the others. "Mario, you'll  
lead the team defending Gardenia, Megaman, you'll lead Neo-earth's, and Sonic, you'll lead   
Hyrule's. Any questions?" There were none. "Okay. Meeting ajourned."   
  
Azalea got up. "I'm going to sleep early tonight. I think I'm gonna need the rest."  
*********  
  
It was the next day, and they were preparing at Castle Hyrule. "This is quite strange."  
Zelda commented. "We have never clad strangers in our garb before. You should consider yourselves  
honored."  
  
Jim was sporting a black shirt and pants with boots, covered by a long, red cloak.   
Binding the cloak was a triforce symbol. He was also given a pair of fingerless gloves.  
  
Azaela was given a strange dress-like garb that seemed to be made for a fighting girl,  
since it had openings sides, making it easier to move. She had also packed herself with   
shurikens and a short katana,because she claimed she felt more comfortable with a close-range   
weapon too.  
  
"Sure." Jim said. He had made a small sheath for his staff, which he was using now. He  
found it more conveinent than carrying it around in hand.  
  
"You have Hyrule's blessing." Zelda said. "May Din, Naryu, Faeorie, and all forces   
protect you."   
  
"May they also protect Hyrule." Link said, kneeling. Jim and Azalea followed suit.   
  
Zelda's face turned to Jim and Azalea. "I await the day when wizards will rise again."  
  
*Don't worry.* Jim said. *It's closer than you think...*   
  
And so, Jim, Azalea, and Link set off towards Termina.   
  
"Those kids will make something of themselves won't they, Zelda?" King Wayfarer asked.  
  
"They have a firey spirit." Zelda said. "One that may be the reason they will restore the  
order of the wizards."  
***********  
  
Anthony stood at the Mobius palace, listening to Sally yell. She, apparently, had the   
same confidence in Jim and Azalea that Link did.   
  
"Are you crazy?!" Sally yelled. "What are you going to tell their parents?! What if they  
get hurt? What if they die?"  
  
"Both parents were aware of the risks their children were going in." Anthony said.   
"Besides, that's the exact reason Link is with them."   
  
"Anthony, you're supposed to making my job easier!" Sally yelled. "The media is going to  
have a field day if they find out you let two teenagers into a dangerous thing like this."  
  
"So, we don't let em' know." Anthony said, shrugging.   
  
"You really think they'll survive this, Anthony?" Sally asked.  
  
Anthony sighed. "When I started this, I was a nerd playing video games. But I found a way  
to restore Arcadia and save you guys from Robotnik. Back then, I didn't think I could do   
anything, really. But I managed to pull through with your help. Azalea, doesn't seem to have much  
confidence in herself, but she's trying. Jim, on the other hand, is cocky and he's eager to learn  
more and become better. That firey spirit is exactly what always got him into trouble, and what  
will make him perfect to lead the order of wizards."   
  
"And you're willing to kill them now." Sally observed.   
  
"They won't die." Anthony replied. "Trust me."   
  
"That's the only thing I can do at this point."   
********  
  
"So, how long till we get to Termina?" Jim asked.   
  
"About a day's hike." Link informed. "If you don't slow me down."  
  
Right then, an arrow landed right in between Link's legs. "Well, something's gonna slow  
you down, green boy." a voice said. Down jumped a rather dark looking figure. "Allow me to   
introduce myself. I am the head bandit."  
  
"Nice name." Jim said, his hand inching towards his staff.  
  
"Give us all your valuables and we'll only lacerate the one dressed in green." the head  
bandit said. It seemed they were surrounded on all sides.   
  
"Swell." Jim said, unsheathing his katana. "I was working up a bad mood."  
  
"Oh, you'll feel much different when we're done with you." the Head bandit said. He   
looked at his comrades. "Kill them."   
  
In a blaze of swords they attacked. With Jim and Azalea's new reflexes, these poorly   
trained ruffians might as well be standing still, and Link seemed to be defeating them in one  
blow each. They weren't a big bunch, and soon they were down to one.   
  
The head bandit tried to run for it. "Oh, no you don't!" Jim cried, charging after him.  
  
The man, apparently, wasn't in shape, because he didn't tear through the forest very  
quickly. Even before his abilities were enhanced, he would have not had any problems.   
  
He still didn't. He caught up and tackled the head bandit. "P- please...." he stammered.  
"D- don't hurt me..."  
  
"You're something else." Jim said, holding the bandit by the collar of his shirt. "You  
ambush us, outnumber us, try to rob and kill us, and ask me not hurt you? You're deluding   
yourself!"  
  
"Y-you won't k-kill me, will you?" the bandit asked.   
  
"No." Jim said. "I'm gonna warn you!" Bit began flinging his fists at lightning speed  
towards the bandit's face, stomach, and anythng he could really hard. He left a hurt, though not  
injured bandit. "By the way," he added as he left. "You were right! I feel great now!"  
  
Link and Azalea looked at him angrily as he came back to them.  
  
"You enjoyed that!" Azalea scolded.  
  
"Damn right I did." Jim replied. "I hate bozos like that. Think they can do whatever   
they want. Served him right."  
  
"Reminds me of someone I know." Azalea replied.  
  
"Are you comparing me to someone I'd rather not be compared to?" Jim asked.  
  
"Let's get a move on." Link yelled. "We've only got until sunset to get termina. And need  
I remind you there are no mass transits in the Hylas?"   
  
And so for hours, they trudged on. Jim had a new respect for the fellowship of the ring,  
and wished he had the book with him right now.   
  
After what seemed like(and was, by striking coincidence) hours, Link stopped. "Termina's  
still an hour's walke away." Then he jerked his thumb at the sky. The sun was setting. "This is  
as good a place as any to set up camp. Jim, get some firewood, Azalea, get some water, and I'll  
set up a clearing."  
  
"While filling the buckets, Azalea noticed that there was a lot of dry wood on the   
ground. It was good for camping fires, but she was worried about what would happen if the blaze  
caught on. Then she figured that Link had probably thought of that.   
  
Right then, a tree fell, missing Azalea by centimeters.   
  
Azalea's shocked expression turned to anger when she saw Jim by a tree trunk finishing  
a sweeping motion with his staff. "SILVER!!!" she shouted.   
  
Jim's clueless expression remained the same as he used a mind shield to block one of  
Azalea's enchanted arrows. "What did I do?"   
  
"You almost killed me!" Azalea yelled, charging for Jim.   
  
"It was an accident!" Jim cried, frantically blocking her blows.   
  
"So, that makes it okay?" She asked as Jim ducked a blow that would have decapitated him.  
  
"It certainly doesn't justify this!" Jim said Jumping up. "Kamehameha!" a blue blast  
flew from his staff.  
  
With an amazing speed, Azalea strung and threw a bow, yelling "Nullify!"  
  
"What the?" Jim asked, landing onto the ground.   
  
"It's a new spell I've learned." She explained, stringing another arrow. "It takes a  
bit of Magical power, true, but it can't block most conventional spells. Piece of cake for a  
simple energy projection like that."   
  
"I see." Jim said. "Looks like I've been slacking off. Oh well." Azalea's arrow flew   
towards him, and in a quick motion, he knocked it away with his staff.   
  
"A-HEM." a voice said. Link was tapping his foot looking at them. "First of all, I'd like  
to eat by tommorow, which is impossible if you don't get back to your chores. Second, I'd   
rather tell Anthony that Gannon killed you than that you killed each other."  
  
Grumbling, both Jim and Azalea returned to their chores.   
  
It wasn't a very big meal. Some hot dogs and beans. Jim had the notion to ask what,  
exactly, was in a hylian hotdog, but decided that, upon reflection, what you didn't know   
couldn't hurt you.   
  
What interested him was the low humming Link was doing. It reminded him vaguely of church  
hymns, though it was touch livlier. When I say a touch, I mean it would sound out of place at a  
funeral.   
  
"What's that song about?" Jim asked.  
  
Link paused for a few seconds. "A friend." he said dismissively.  
  
"Zelda?" Azalea asked inquisitively. Both Jim and Azalea knew perfectly well what they   
were doing. Azalea figured that confession was good for the soul. Jim just liked doing this kind  
of thing.   
  
"Yes." Link said. "It's a small dream I have. Nothing more."  
  
"Just a dream?" Jim asked. "Why?"  
  
"She's royalty. I am a commoner." Link said. "It's forbidden."  
  
"Ah." Jim said. "She's certainly something though, isn't she?"   
  
"She's the most wonderful woman I have ever met." Link replied with a regretful tone.   
"But I'm not the one who is destined to be graced with her."   
  
Jim shrugged. He was no expert at romance. Link however reamined up, and eventually sung  
himself to sleep.  
**********  
  
Jim was woken up later, and saw that it was almost, though not quite, the crack of dawn.  
Link was standing over them, his pointy eared face, inches away from Jim's.  
  
"GAH!" Jim cried. "Link! Don't DO that!"  
  
"Now that you're up." Link said, practically ignoring him. "I've found a place where a   
bunch of moblins are going in and out. I'll bet that's where Gannondorf is located."  
  
Link gently shook Azalea. The answer "Just five more minutes, grandpa." was heard from   
her. Annoyed, Link unzipped her sleeping bag. "Ok, Ok, I'll get up.' she grumbled. "So, where are  
we going now?" she asked.  
  
"Underground." Link informed. "Let's go."   
  
Azalea and Jim were already in their clothes and were grabbing their weapons. "Did you  
say underground?" Azalea asked.   
  
"Yeah." Link said. "I'm not sure, but it's about a mile from here, and it looks like a  
cave going into the earth."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jim said, getting up.  
  
The cave had a rather small entrance, but considering Jim's inferred size, a lot of   
Moblins were in there.   
  
"so, what do we do?" Jim asked.   
  
"Find an alternate route." Link said.  
  
"What?" Jim asked. "But, it's right there!"  
  
"There's too many guards." Link informed them. "Even we can't fight them all off."  
  
"You gotta be kidding me." Jim said. "They're right there!"  
  
"Listen, do you wanna see the arcadian portals again?" Link asked. "Then follow my   
advice. If you do, you might survive."   
  
"Yeah, Jim." Azalea said. "Use your head for once."  
  
"This coming from a girl who tried to kill me yesterday." Jim grumbled.   
  
As it was, the cave seemed to be two-way, with the back being less heavily guarded with  
only three Moblins. As Jim said, 'Talk about conveinence.'  
  
"Hear something?" One Moblin asked.   
  
"Nah." replied the other. "Just the wind."  
  
  
"Strange wind if you ask- urk!" an arrow had flown into his throat.  
  
"What wa-" but the moblins didn't have time to finish as Jim and Link dived onto them,  
and giving a quick slashing movement, decapitated them.  
  
"Let's go." Link said.   
  
"Sure thing." Jim said. Azalea jumped down from a tree she was hiding in, and pulled  
the arrow out of the moblin's neck.  
  
"Gannon shouldn't be too well protected." Link informed. "He's cocky that way."  
  
As they went down, the air smelled fouler and fouler.   
  
"Phreeeow!" Jim said. "What is that smell?"  
  
"Either Gannon doesn't care much for hygeine," Azalea interjected. "Or it's brimstone."  
  
"Ten to one it's the first one." Jim said. The descent of the cave stopped abruptly and  
they came to a huge chamber dimly lit by torches. In the middle was a figure completely   
familiar to Link and Jim.  
  
"Hello, Link." Gannondorf said. "I have been waiting for you."  
  
"Why?" Link asked, his sword and shield in hand.   
  
"You and I are going to decide the fate of Hyrule... in a simple battle." Gannon said.  
  
"So, why are you attacking the rest of arcadia?" Link asked.   
  
"I couldn't make it look too conspicuous." Gannon replied. "And I wanted to make sure it  
got your attention. So, all I propose is a simple rematch. The winner decides the fate of   
Hyrule."  
  
"Hyrule's fate is not mine to decide." Link retorted.  
  
"It will be." Gannon said, unsheathing his strangely shaped sword. Link stood battle  
ready. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gannon cried and he ran for Link, making a sweeping motion with his  
sword. Link quickly raised his sword to block it.   
  
It was sword-fighting as Jim had never seen it. They were almost completely even, and  
seemed to be dancing rather than fighting. Every move was so immpecably accurate and gracefully  
acheived. Now he truly knew why Link was the hero of Hyrule.  
  
"Getting worn out?" Gannon asked.   
  
"Hardly." Link said.  
  
"You know, this is such a waste. Killing such a useful person." Gannon said. "Why not  
join me and become a ruler as well?"  
  
"Why would I ever want ot team up with someone as evil and despicable as you?!" Link   
cried. "I swear that, with this sword, you will be smited!"  
  
"Alas." Gannon said. "More talent wasted. Then I supposed now would be a time to finish  
you off!" Right then, Gannon dissapeared, laughing maniacally.   
  
"He used this before." Link said, closing his eyes. "But this time I know what to do.  
I am prepared." Link neither moved nor spoke, nor made any assurance he was alive for several  
seconds, until he made sudden movement. "There!" He moved ninety degrees, and thrusted his sword  
forward. There appeared Gannon, the sword in his heart. "  
  
"Well done, boy." Gannondorf said, beforing going limp.   
  
"That was all too easy if you ask me." Jim said.  
  
Then, Gannondorf's dead body spoke. "That's because it was!" the body rose, and his  
eyes glowed pure white. "Well done, Link." Then he turned to Jim and Azalea. "But I am   
dissapointed in your uninvolvement. I am Salazar Mago. I intend to cleanse the world. Consider  
this but a taste of my power." Then Gannon's body burned up.  
  
"That was freaky." Jim said.  
  
"You're telling me." Azalea said.  
*******  
  
The journey home was uneventful, and they had no promblem forgetting Salazar's vague and  
would-be threat.  
  
"So, Jim." Azalea said. "What are your parents like?"  
  
Jim was taken aback by this question, but had an answer ready."Meh." Jim said. "They're   
parents. My dad's been transfered to Stark industries as of a month ago, and my mom's a teacher.  
They're overprotective and blame everything on me. I've got no regrets coming here."  
  
"Really?" Azalea asked. "That's so sad."  
  
"What do you mean, it's sad?" Jim asked.  
  
"The two people who brought you into this world, love you and shelter you care about   
you." she said. "And you treat them with contempt."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Jim replied. "How about your parents? How are they?"  
  
"I never knew them." Azalea said. "My father died in a car crash, and my mother left him  
three months before that. I was only three months old when it all happened, and I've lived with  
my Grandpa ever since."  
  
*That's why she brought it up.* Jim though, realizing he had been a bit insensitive.  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be." Azalea replied. "It's happened a long time ago, and I've learned to live  
with it. Grandpa and Grandma are more my parents now."  
  
"Oh." Jim said. He decided to change the subject. "So Az, what's with that new spell of  
your's?"  
  
"Well, your mind shield gave me the idea really." Azalea explained. "It's basically the  
mindshield, except it can go out of it's way to block spells. It's like an extension of it."  
  
"Oh." Jim said.  
  
"Thank you." Azalea said.  
  
Jim looked at her strangely. "For what?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nothing." And they walked on.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Jim muttered under his breath.  
  
End Chapter 5 


End file.
